Netball: offside

Hi all, I would like some clarification regarding the "advantage" call which appears in the rules as follows%3A3.1.6 (viii) [The umpire] Shall refrain from blowing the whistle to penalise an infringement when by doing so the nonoffending team would be placed at a disadvantage. An umpire shall  call  â€œadvantage” to indicate an infringement has been observed and not penalised. Having blown the whistle for an infringement, the Umpire must award a penalty unless a goal is scored which is to the advantage of the non-offending team.  Recently I asked my netball centre why advantage was being called when the non-offending team had not been successful in passing or shooting the ball. The response was that the advantage call is made when the umpire believes that the player should have been able to get the ball away successfully. To my reading, the rule is quite clear that advantage is called only when the non-offending team would be disadvantaged by pulling the ball back to the infringement point. Even supposing both interpretations were valid, I am perplexed as to why a decision based on an objective question (has the player gotten the ball away successfully) is not favoured over a subjective question (does the umpire think the player should have gotten the ball away successfully).  For example, suppose a defending player contacts, obstructs or goes offside, and in doing so prevents the attacking player from making a safe pass, instead forcing an unsafe pass that is intercepted or a held ball. If "advantage" is called at the time of the offence, effectively the offending player's team gets an advantage from breaking the rules.  I'm sure I've seen the advantage pulled back to a penalty pass or shot at international level, but my YouTube searching has turned up nothing. I would appreciate any clarification of this rule, especially an explanation of why the subjective interpretation might be more fair, or any precedent for this being the correct interpretation. Cheers!

can you lean on a ball to stop you going offside?

I am an umpire as well as a player, and I had a situation a few weeks ago that challenged my knowledge. On a centre pass. Referring to the third lines. Do the third lines form part of the centre court or are they part of the goal third. In other words at what point would GA,GD,WA and WD become off side? If their foot/feet were on the line? Same for the Centre, would she be off side if her foot/feet were on the line?

Hello. I am a 14 year old girl. I have never umpired before, and i am expected to umpire this weekend.  I will be starting on 10-12 year olds. As you can see i dont have much experience at umpiring and i am pretty nervous that im going to stuff up or call the wrong award for the infringment that occured. I have read the Netball Australia umpiring book but some of the words are too fomral for my liking, i dont quiet undertsand. ANY TIPS PLEASE?!

My centre was penalised for stepping in the centre circle - she took her centre stance and after the whistle was blown she stepped out with one foot. I didnt think a centre had a 'landing foot' at a centre pass, providing both feet are in the circle when the whistle blows, but the umpire said when she returned to the circle she put her left foot in first so that became her landing foot even though play had not been started. I told her just to stay in the circle but I would like to know if the umpire was correct or if she had it wrong

At a recent game the opposition umpire said that we no longer do toss ups and rather rudely overruled my team's umpire. I have not been formally involved in umpiring for about 5 years and had not heard this - toss ups were still in the rule book when I did the online umpiring test earlier this year. Can anyone enlighten me?

I'm starting out umpiring and find it so difficult. I know the rules and have no problem keeping up with play but find it hard to decide who fouled who or notice players going offside or all the other things all going on at once! When you're playing it seems obvious but from the side it's so much harder. Is it me and should I just accept it's not for me, or does it get easier? Any advice welcome.

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I have an U10 team playing in Div 1, we are doing well coming 2nd in the comp. The problem i have is I have 8,9 and 10 year olds in the team as we are a small club. I am looking for Drills to cater all age groups and the girls abilities/skills. There are girls who play beyond their ages, and then girls who cannot catch or throw a ball, (basically 6 of the 9 players cannot do both). They have improved, but i find the skilled players are getting frustrated as there are alot of turnovers due to basic errors, bad passes, stepping, offside etc....any advice would be appreciated.Thanks

We have had a difference in answer from umpires in our league...can any one shed any light on the offside rule?? Thanks

how can I improve my contact and offside, are there any drills that I can use so here are less penalty's given away in a game

Need some help on a dispute on a decision I made during a match I was umpiring recently.A player was tying her shoe laces in my half of the court. A goal had been scored in the half I was umpiring. Centre stepped in the centre circle whilst this player was still attending to her shoe lace. So in affect she had not got herself on side and then gone off side she just did not get on side.I blew the whistle to start play as the centre was ready. As the player who was in my half and was off side, I blew for offside.Can I have clarification on this please, was I correct, or should the other umpire have called this offside even though the player was in my half?Secondly, a reputable umpire told me a couple of months ago, that the umpire blowing the whistle to start the game at a centre pass, controls both sides for off side? I.e. All players that go offside at the centre pass, to the left and right of the centre circle. I was not suite about this so need clarification on that too.Thanks in anticipation.

I coach 11 year olds. Let's say our GK secures a rebound, pivots and looks to pass to WD who is holding her position on the circle edge (leaving no space for anyone to get in front of her).Is the WA from the other team allowed to then place her outside foot in between our WDs feet and effectively bully / push her way so that half her body is in front of our WD? Asked using Sportplan Mobile App

Looking for ideas or strategies to combat a really quick and accurate GA. Cant let her run the whole court as she will get every second pass and still shoots 90% of the other teams goals. Our defence can only keep up after half time when she starts to tire. We should be able to beat them if we can combat this one very good player.

If a player breaks the line at centre pass where on court is free pass taken

What is the rule and penalties for when a player crosses into the wrong area?

I am an umpire as well as a player, and I had a situation a few weeks ago that challenged my knowledge. On a centre pass. Referring to the third lines. Do the third lines form part of the centre court or are they part of the goal third. In other words at what point would GA,GD,WA and WD become off side? If their foot/feet were on the line? Same for the Centre, would she be off side if her foot/feet were on the line?

Need some help on a dispute on a decision I made during a match I was umpiring recently.A player was tying her shoe laces in my half of the court. A goal had been scored in the half I was umpiring. Centre stepped in the centre circle whilst this player was still attending to her shoe lace. So in affect she had not got herself on side and then gone off side she just did not get on side.I blew the whistle to start play as the centre was ready. As the player who was in my half and was off side, I blew for offside.Can I have clarification on this please, was I correct, or should the other umpire have called this offside even though the player was in my half?Secondly, a reputable umpire told me a couple of months ago, that the umpire blowing the whistle to start the game at a centre pass, controls both sides for off side? I.e. All players that go offside at the centre pass, to the left and right of the centre circle. I was not suite about this so need clarification on that too.Thanks in anticipation.

We have had a difference in answer from umpires in our league...can any one shed any light on the offside rule?? Thanks

can you lean on a ball to stop you going offside?